The hot media attention, and in some cases anger, confirmed my January prediction that Canadians, facing tough economic times, will increasingly see menace in the rapid rise in temporary foreign workers in this country.

Canada now has roughly 300,000 temporary foreign workers, about double the number before the Conservatives came to power in 2005. The burst of interest in the arrival of Chinese national coal miners has provoked discussion about whether this trend is something to fear.

Specialists agree there will always be a need for a small number of temporary foreign workers, to fill skilled or semi-skilled positions for a short time. Employers often claim they need temporary foreign workers because there is a “shortage” of Canadians prepared to fill the jobs.

But critics say what the employers really mean, in many cases, is there aren’t enough Canadians to do such work for poor wages and conditions.

Even conservative critics, such as as Martin Collacott, of the Fraser Institute, worry that the flood of temporary foreign workers is driving down wages and taking the pressure off governments to properly train Canadians.

How are things from the other end? The typical temporary foreign worker is in a vulnerable position, unable to speak up for him or herself while in Canada, officially allowed to stay only four years. But many end up applying for citizenship.

Metro Vancouver’s 80,000 diligent Filipinos form the centre of a growing concern over temporary foreign workers. Since taking office in 2005, the Conservative government has hiked the numbers of these short-term foreign workers from 160,000 in 2006 to 283,000 in 2010.

Although temporary foreign workers have traditionally been brought into fill short-term skills shortages, they are increasingly being welcomed into the country to do unskilled, low-wage jobs as fast-food workers, nannies, farm labour and security guards.

In a rare display of agreement, economists from both the centre-left Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and centre-right Fraser Institute have come out against the rise in temporary foreign workers, many of whom are from the Philippines.

Both sides of the spectrum say the over-use of temporary foreign workers is lowering overall wages, hurting productivity and, perhaps most importantly, discouraging Canadians and landed immigrants from upgrading their skills.

University of B.C. planning specialist Prod Laquian (photo left), who has Filipino heritage, adds another dimension to this thorny issue. He is among those who points out it is often devastating for developing countries to lose their more industrious citizens to richer countries such as Canada.

Are the new temporary workers arriving in Canada something like the Chinese “coolies” whom industrialists brought in during the 19th century, as cheap labour for building railroads and working in the mines?

Tung Chan, former head of the giant Chinese-immigrant support organization, SUCCESS, told me last year that might be so. The Chinese temporary foreign workers of the 1800s were resented in part because white settlers thought they were being used to lower wages and hinder the unionization movement.

…. Tung Chan says all the parties are trying to show they’re serious about helping newcomers have their professional credentials and experience recognized in Canada, whether they’re nurses, engineers or stock brokers.

And Chan believes NDP leader Jack Layton – whose wife, MP Olivia Chow, was born in Hong Kong — is hitting on an important theme when he complains that Harper has greatly increased the inflow of temporary foreign workers, who have few rights and have been accused of lowering wages for all Canadians.

“It’s like the Chinese railway workers being brought in all over again,” Chan said, noting that immigrant communities, especially Filipinos, don’t like that temporary foreign workers are not usually eligible to immigrate.

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the “X” in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.